


Meet-Cute

by mahbbys



Series: Kid!Fic Universe [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, Big Brother Dean, Bisexual Dean, Brotherly Affection, Childhood Friends, Complete, Cute, Cuties, Dating, Dean and Kids, Dean is a Softie, Destiel - Freeform, Domestic Castiel, Domestic Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Don't Have to Know Canon, Family Fluff, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Frottage, Funny, Gay Castiel, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Hand Jobs, Happy, Happy Ending, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Parlors, Kid Fic, Kid!Gabriel, Kissing, M/M, Male Friendship, Meet-Cute, Protective Dean Winchester, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sabriel - Freeform, Sam and Gabe are kids, Schmoop, Sexual Tension, Shy Sam, Surprise Kissing, Unconventional Families, Young Gabriel, Young Sam Winchester, kid!Sam, unabashed fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-06 18:56:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1868724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mahbbys/pseuds/mahbbys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sam and Gabe strike up an unlikely friendship at the playground, sparks fly between Sam's brother Dean and Gabe's uncle Cas. Sometimes play-dates lead to real dates, and family has many meanings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Gabe become fast friends at the park while Cas and Dean strike up a friendly conversation.

Other than a passing glance, enough to register that the guy was attractive, Dean hadn’t paid much attention to the newcomers on the playground. That was until the dark-blond kid had suddenly let out a loud, grating, “But Uncle Caaaaaaaas!”  
  
Dean looked over to see that the boy had let his body go mostly limp so that he was hanging semi-backwards over himself. His mouth was open with his tongue lolling around to the side, and his eyebrows were knit into a deep frowning, line. Dean recognized the look of an imminent begging tantrum.  
  
Dean felt a little sorry for the dark-haired guy that was about to have to deal with it. Then he smirked and gave a silent thanks to the universe that Sam was usually a pretty good kid.  
  
The man had been kneeling in front of the boy, but quickly stood up. He narrowed his eyes, looking down his nose at the kid, and said, “Gabriel,” in a tone that was like rocks thrown against a bass drum. Dean couldn’t help but laugh and then stare when the boy instantly clamped his mouth shut and straightened. He leveled his own narrow-eyed glare at his uncle and muttered, “Fine,” before marching over to the swing set with a twist to his mouth.  
  
Dean’s eyebrows went up in surprise and admiration. He wished he knew that trick. Then again, all Sam usually had to do was level his big, brown puppy-dog eyes at Dean and Dean wound up relenting to whatever it was Sam wanted.

* * *

Cas sighed and looked around after Gabe stalked off. Nearly all of the benches were taken, by mothers and older children and couples. He always felt a bit like an odd duck on the rare occasions he brought Gabriel to the park. Then Cas noticed a guy sitting by himself on one of the few benches that was under a tree. It was further away from the equipment than Cas normally liked to sit, but there was plenty of room and maybe he wouldn’t feel so weird if he was sitting next to a dad instead of a mom.  
  
Cas walked over, noticing that the guy glanced his way a couple of times. “Would you mind if I sat here?” Cas asked, motioning to the empty end of the bench.  
  
“Nah, go ahead,” the man replied, smiling. Cas hadn’t realized just how good looking the guy was or he might have opted for sitting in amongst the young mothers.  
  
Cas gave the man a tight smile as he sat down, before quickly scanning along the playground equipment to try and regain sight of Gabe. He felt the tension in his shoulders ease when he spotted him, with his sandy hair and bright red tshirt, coming out of the twisty slide. Cas let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and sank fully against the back of the bench.  
  
“It’s always a little scary for a sec when you can’t see them,” the man beside him said. Cas looked over to see the blond smirking at him. “I still freak out sometimes.”  
  
Cas nodded. “I don’t often take him places where he isn’t right there with me,” Cas admitted, with a shrug.  
  
“Ah. Yeah, it can be a little nerve-wracking.”

* * *

Dean was trying really hard not to keep looking at his new companion. When – what had the kid called him? Cas? – had been far away, Dean hadn’t realized just how chiseled his jaw was, or how bright blue his eyes were. Dean had definitely not noticed the guy’s mouth or how strong his arms were. Otherwise, Dean would have been staring long before he’d joined him on the bench.  
  
A gravelly voice asked, “Which one’s yours?”  
  
Dean smiled and pointed, “See that shaggy-haired munchkin with the plaid shirt on?” The man nodded in recognition. “That’s Sammy.” Dean frowned and tensed a little as he saw Sam fall as he disembarked from a swing.  
  
Dean relaxed as he watched Gabriel take a few steps over, lean down, and help Sam up. Sam dusted himself off and then the two boys seemed to speak for a moment. The next thing Dean knew the two of them were running over to the other side of the playground, making a beeline for a fake plastic periscope.  
  
“Huh,” Dean said, his eyebrows going further up while the corners of his mouth went further down. He looked back to Cas and smiled. He was unprepared for the gummy grin that was returned his direction, and felt his cheeks grow warm as he looked quickly back to the two boys.  
  
“Gabe’s a good kid when he thinks no one’s looking,” the man said on a laugh. Dean smirked and let out a small chuckle.  
  
“He your nephew?” Dean asked, leaning down to pick up his bottle of water from beside the bench.

* * *

Cas shook his head. “Not really. He’s my friend Anna’s son, but he doesn’t have any other men around, and she and I have known each other forever. So I kind of became uncle by default.”  
  
Cas made a point of not watching as the man next to him took a long pull from his water bottle. After he’d finished the guy said, “That’s cool, though. That you fill that role, I mean.”  
  
“I suppose. He’s 6 now so it’s getting easier to hold a conversation with him. I’m afraid I was a bit useless when he was in the toddler stage, even if I thought he was cute.” Cas gave a shy smile.  
  
The man laughed. “I feel ya.”  
  
“How old is your son?” Cas asked, watching the two boys run across the bridge spanning the gap between the two sides of playground equipment. Those things had always scared Cas when he was a kid.  
  
“He’s 6, but he’s actually my brother.” The man took another sip of his water, but noticed Cas’ raised eyebrows. He swallowed and said, “Big age difference, I know. Long, sad, boring story, dude.” Then he smiled.  
  
Cas had made a face for more than one reason, though. “I’d thought he was a bit younger.” He eyed the obvious long legs of the man next to him and was surprised the two were brothers.

* * *

  


Dean nodded. “Yeah, he’s kind of small, I guess. If he grows into those hands and feet of his, though? Kid’s gonna be bigger than me.” Dean laughed a little. “I swear that kid’s feet grow 5 times faster than the rest of him.”  
  
There was that gummy grin again. Dean felt light-headed just looking at it. He wiped his hand on his blue jeans to get rid of the condensation from the water and then held it out to the side towards the dark-haired man. “I’m Dean, by the way.”  
  
The handshake was firm and strong. “Cas,” the man said with a smile and a small nod. “It’s nice to meet you.”  
  
“Yeah, you too,” Dean replied. He made himself turn his eyes back to the playground in time to see his brother run panting towards the fake rock wall made for climbing. “’Scuse me a sec,” Dean said as he stood and cupped a hand to the side of his mouth.  
  
“Sammy!” he shouted. Sam looked up and around, scanning for Dean, his hair nearly hitting him in the eyes. Sam frowned in confusion and Dean waved a hand towards himself, motioning for Sam to join him.  
  
Sam looked over to his new friend and Dean was surprised when both boys began making their way over to the bench. “Yeah?” Sammy asked breathlessly as they approached their two guardians.  
  
“Drink some water, kiddo, you’ve been playing for a while.” Sam pulled a face, so Dean ruffled his hair and was rewarded with a grumpy whine. Dean just chuckled. “You gonna introduce me to your new buddy?”  
  
“Dean, this is Gabe,” Sam said as he opened his own water bottle he’d retrieved from beside Dean’s. “Gabe, this is my big brother, Dean.”  
  
Gabe smirked and waved shyly at Dean. Dean saluted, but Cas nudged the sandy-haired boy on the shoulder with his hand. “You can do better than that, Gabe,” he said in a quiet voice.  
  
Gabe looked at his “uncle” with wide eyes and then looked back to Dean. “Hi,” was all he said. Dean had a feeling that was more than most people got and he smiled.

* * *

Cas watched, astonished, as Gabe continued to speak to the near-stranger. “You know my Uncle Cas?” he asked Dean.  
  
“I didn’t until a few minutes ago,” he replied with a smile. “Like you and Sammy.” Dean nodded towards his young brother, who was now sitting in the grass, cooling off in the shade of the tree.  
  
Gabe nodded and then turned back to his uncle. “Can I have some juice?”  
  
“Sure,” Cas replied, and picked up the bottle he’d carried with him from the car. He handed it to Gabe after opening it.  
  
Gabe drank several large gulps before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. “Me and Sammy were playin’ house.”  
  
Cas’ eyebrows shot up and his eyes got wide. “Oh?” he asked. To his knowledge, Gabe’s pretend games normally involved battles and aliens.  
  
“Yeah. We was…”  
  
“You _were_ ,” Cas corrected.  
  
Gabe made a face, but continued, “We were pretendin’ to be husbands, and we’re spies that have to protect our house from robots.”  
  
That sounded more like the Gabe he knew. “That sounds fun,” Cas said. “I’m glad you found someone to play with so soon.” Cas’ tone was light, but his stomach had sunk as he wondered if Dean would be ok with what Gabe had just said. Gabe was raised in a gay-friendly environment – after all, Cas was openly gay – but that didn’t mean his new friend was, even if he’d been playing along with the make-believe.  
  
“Can we play longer?” Sam asked Dean.  
  
Dean nodded, and Cas took that as a good sign, but the blond man’s face was unreadable. The two boys ran off, and Cas licked his lips, wondering if anything was going to be said.  
  
Dean looked over to Cas with raised brows. “Well, that’s friggin’ adorable,” he said, breaking into a wide grin. Cas laughed, relief flooding through him.

* * *

A while later, Sammy came running back up to Dean, leaving Gabe sliding down the twisty slide again. “Can Gabe come get ice cream with us? I already invited him.”  
  
Dean rolled his eyes. “Sammy, we’ve been over this. You’re supposed to ask me _before_ you invite someone to do something.” Dean flicked a glance over at Cas who was watching with a slight smirk. “Gabe needs to ask Cas, but if it’s ok with them both, then yes.”  
  
“Ok!” Sam said excitedly and then he was dashing back over to Gabe who was looking around, likely for Sam. Sam said something to him, and then both boys were walking over to the bench again.  
  
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Cas asked, his blue eyes a little wide.  
  
Dean tried hard not to glance at Cas’ mouth when he looked at him. “I really don’t,” he said with an easy smile. “It’ll be nice to have some adult conversation for once. I don’t often even get kid conversations at the ice cream place. Sam’s usually too busy covering himself in chocolate to talk much.”  
  
Cas laughed and Dean reveled in it for a brief moment before Gabe and Sam arrived. Dean’s eyes widened as Gabe dropped to his knees in front of Cas and put his hands together as if praying.  
  
“Pleeeeease Uncle Caaaaaaas?” Gabe whined. “They’re going where they mix stuff in. And I want rocky road with jelly beans and Oreos! Please, please, please?”  
  
Dean shook his head and bit back a laugh when he saw Cas’ unamused face.

* * *

“Gabriel,” Cas said. Gabe’s face instantly registered that he knew his shtick wasn’t working due to Cas’ use of his full name. Cas chuckled a little. “Does that actually work on your mother?”  
  
Gabe seemed to think and his hands dropped to his thighs. “No?” he ventured. He paused a moment and then asked, “Will it work on you?” He grinned.  
  
Dean and Cas both laughed as Sam just looked on with wide eyes and a smirk. “Not usually,” Cas admitted. “I happen to be in the mood for some ice cream, though.”  
  
“YES!” both boys cheered in unison. They immediately launched into details over what kind of ice cream they wanted and how many scoops and Dean shushed them by standing and raising his hand, palm out. Cas wished that ever worked for him.  
  
“All right, boys, calm down.” Dean leaned over towards Cas and almost whispered. “Are we _sure_ it’s a good idea to give them more sugar? Geez.” Then he straightened up and directed his words to the kids again. “You sure you’re done playin’?” Both boys nodded enthusiastically.  
  
Cas turned a bit towards Dean after grabbing Gabe’s juice bottle. “Can we follow you over there? I’m afraid I don’t really know the neighborhood; I just heard the park here was nice.”  
  
“Yeah, no problem, man,” Dean said, clamping a hand on Cas’ back for a moment. It was only a few seconds, but Cas’ body thrilled at the electric shock that ran through him with the touch. Dean’s smile only made the reaction stronger.  
  
“Would it be ok if I rode with Gabe, d’ya think?” Sammy asked quietly, tugging at Dean’s jeans. Cas just shrugged when Dean looked to him for an opinion.  
  
Dean seemed about to respond to Sam when he suddenly turned his green gaze back to Cas. “Hey, actually, would you wanna just all ride together in my car? I can drop you back off here afterwards. That way they can hang out for the ride?”  
  
“Sure,” Cas replied calmly, despite the butterflies that had suddenly migrated through his stomach.

* * *

After a short detour to Cas’ car to retrieve Gabe’s booster seat, the 4 of them made their way to where Dean had parked. He and Cas were walking just a few steps behind Gabe and Sammy. Suddenly, Gabe stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk, causing Dean and Cas to fumble their steps for a moment.  
  
“Holy crap,” Gabe whispered in awe. “It’s the Batmobile.”  
  
Dean let out a short bark of laughter and Cas flicked Gabe’s ear with his index finger. “Language, Gabe.” When Dean and Sam walked up to and stopped beside the fully restored Impala, though, both Gabe’s and Cas’ faces registered a bit of shock. Dean unlocked the doors with a smile.  
  
As Cas and Dean set up the booster seats in the back, they could overhear Sam and Gabe’s very earnest, whispered conversation.  
  
“Dude! Is your brother Batman?” Gabe asked incredulously.  
  
Dean risked a side glance to Sammy and could see a studious, examining look on his baby brother’s face. Finally Sam said, matter-of-factly, “I don’t think so. Batman’s rich and Dean always says we don’t have enough money for him to buy me a monster truck.”  
  
Dean bit his lip in amusement, and glanced back over to Cas in time to see a squinty-eyed grin as Cas fought back laughter. Dean smiled to Cas, and then realized he was standing very close to Cas and looking a little longer than he probably ought to. He cleared his throat and moved a bit further away.  
  
“All right, kiddos. You guys ready for ice cream?” Dean asked, turning around to look at the boys.  
  
Sam said, “Yep!” while Gabe just smirked and nodded his head enthusiastically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you like this so far! I never expected to write a kid fic, but this thing insisted that it must be told. As always, I live for your kudos and comments. ;) Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas, Dean, Sam, and Gabe get to know each other over ice cream.

Cas enjoyed the ride over to the ice cream shop, as it was full of laughter and stories. He didn’t often get to see Gabe interact with other kids and it was fun to watch. Dean was fun to watch, too, Cas must admit. He’d given the driver quite a few sideways glances during the short trip.

Once inside, Gabe and Sam ran up to the counter, getting grubby fingers all over the glass and making Cas cringe. He knew someone would have to clean it later. He and Dean stood back for a moment, just watching the boys debate the merits of various choices.

“How many scoops can I get, Dean?” Sam asked, looking back over his shoulder to his brother.

Dean pursed his lips at the question and Cas had to look away as he blanched at the dimples that suddenly appeared on Dean’s freckled face. “We got dinner at Bobby’s in a while, so just the one.”

“Aww,” Sam said, pouting.

Cas watched as Dean sighed and shuffled his weight from one foot to another. “Ok, two,” he relented. “But no toppings!” he added, in a slightly harsher, more authoritative tone.

Sam’s “Yessir!” made Cas smile a little.

“Can I get a banana split, Uncacas?” Gabe asked excitedly, his words spilling over each other in an attempt to get out of his mouth quickly. “Please?”

“I thought you wanted rocky road with jelly beans and Oreos?” Cas asked, narrowing his eyes at the sandy-haired boy.

“I did, but they’ve got way more stuff than the one near our house!” Gabe said, running back over to Cas and grabbing hold of his khakis. “Please? I’ll eat it all, I promise!”

Cas had zero doubt that Gabe would keep that promise, but didn’t think Anna would appreciate him letting Gabe fill up on junk. The kid had been really good at the museum earlier in the day, though, and at the park…

Cas pointed down at Gabe, his finger a few inches from the boy’s nose. “You have to eat the entire banana, you have to get nuts for protein, and one of your ice creams has to be strawberry so you’ve got at least some more fruit. Oh! And no Oreos! Deal?” He moved his pointing hand to hold it out for a handshake.

Gabe nodded and grabbed Cas’ large hand with his small one, shaking his fingers. “Deal!” Then he darted back over to the counter where Sam was trying to narrow down his selections to 2.

* * *

“We totally just got conned on those deals, you know that right?” Dean asked, tilting his head towards Cas.

“Oh yes, I am well aware.” Cas gave Dean a sly sideways glance and smile, and Dean swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry.

Gabe ordered his convoluted banana split, not at all as shy with the salesgirl as he’d initially been with Dean. Dean was surprised when Sam ordered his own chocolate and strawberry cone, and didn’t shyly mumble it at Dean to convey to the young brunette behind the counter. He supposed it was because Gabe had ordered his own.

Dean opted for a scoop of coffee-flavored ice cream, but let Sam convince him to get tiny marshmallows folded into it. He and Cas paid for everything and then, upon realizing every table in the place was full of families, the 4 of them opted to sit on the patio.

All the tables outside were tiny and made for 2 people, so he and Cas shared a table while Gabe and Sam shared another a few feet away. Dean tried to ignore how close his and Cas’ legs had to come to each other as they folded their large frames into the small metal chairs.

Dean was licking his ice cream, and trying to ignore Cas licking his, when he glanced over at Sammy, animatedly talking to Gabe about Godzilla, and frowned. “I really need to get that kid a haircut,” he mumbled, mostly to himself. “He’s gonna look like Shaggy, soon.”

“ _You_ do?” Cas asked, his head tilted slightly.

“Well, yeah, it’s not like he can do it himself,” Dean replied on a laugh. Cas shifted, and Dean could tell he wanted to say something. Then it occurred to him why Cas had maybe asked.

“Your, uh, parents…” Cas trailed off, letting his expression finish the question.

Dean licked ice cream off his bottom lip and gave Cas a wary look. “Like I said - it’s a long, sad, boring story.” He didn’t know this guy, really, and Dean hoped he’d leave it well enough alone.

Thankfully, Cas did. He didn’t pry or question, but just said, “I’m sorry.” Dean could tell it was meant sincerely, but not piteously.

Dean gave a small smile, and shrugged. “Thanks.”

* * *

Cas tried to think of another subject, but found himself staring at Gabe’s dish which was quickly beginning to look like slop. He was second-guessing himself about his choice to let Gabe have the banana split. Anna’s eyes would shoot daggers through him if she could see what Gabe was eating, Cas was sure of it.

Gabe had done as he’d been told, and had ordered strawberry as one of his ice creams and gotten nuts on the top. However, he’d also ordered rocky road and some sort of glaringly-artificial blue colored stuff, and gotten pineapple, strawberry, chocolate, and caramel sauces poured over the whole thing. By the time the requisite whipped topping and cherry had been added, Cas was sure it had to have at least a pound of sugar in it. He was suddenly very grateful he got to drop Gabe off at someone else’s house come the end of the day.

“Anna’s going to have my head,” he said out loud.

Dean’s brows shot up and then he followed Cas’ gaze to Gabe’s dish. Dean laughed, a sound that Cas was quickly becoming addicted to, and then looked back at Cas. “That kid’s gonna be pinging off the walls.”

Cas laughed then. “Do you really think he doesn’t already?” He was rewarded with a bright grin from Dean.

Sam suddenly asked, “Hey Dean, how do they make ice cream cones?”

Dean pursed his lips again, but looked unfazed, as if he was used to answering lots of random questions. Cas supposed he was, if he was the one taking care of Sam full-time as he assumed. “I dunno, kid. Remind me and we’ll look it up with Bobby tonight.”

“Who’s Bobby?” Gabe asked, around a spoonful of ice cream.

“Dean’s boss,” Sam answered. “And kinda my uncle.”

“Hmm,” murmured Gabe before he swallowed his bite. “Do you have a wife?” he asked Dean.

Dean seemed surprised, but answered, “Nope,” before taking a bite of his ice cream.

“Do you have a husband?” Gabe asked as he shoveled another spoonful into his mouth.

“Dean’s single,” Sam answered, before Dean could stop choking long enough to answer. Cas watched the exchange with growing horror. Gabe could be a little too blunt once he opened up enough to start talking to people.

“So’s Cas,” Gabe said, nodding. “And my mama. They won’t get married, though, ‘cause they say they don’t love each other and ‘cause they both want husbands.”

Cas was certain his eyes were bugging out of his head as much as Dean’s were. Dean was obviously trying to suppress a smile, which was better than suppressed anger or anything else, but Cas felt the embarrassment flush through him. “Gabriel,” Cas choked out as a warning.

“What?” Gabriel was the picture of innocence, his mouth full of blue and pink ice cream, his shoulders up in a shrug. He looked at Sam and Sam shrugged, his mouth forming a frown, but his eyebrows raised. Both boys seemed completely oblivious to anything being wrong.

* * *

Dean was trying hard not to laugh, because he could tell Cas was embarrassed as hell, but it wasn’t easy. Dean himself was flushed pink, he was sure of it, and he could only imagine how Cas must feel.

Cas sighed, his shoulders slumping, and Dean shot him a sympathetic, but wondering look.

“Precocious,” Cas intoned. “That’s the word you’re looking for.”

Dean crinkled his eyes and gave Cas a studious look. “Is it?” he asked sarcastically, before smirking, and softening his expression.

Cas huffed out a small laugh, and looked up at Dean through his dark lashes. His tanned skin was definitely a bit darker and pinker than it had been before Gabe had started talking. “It’s one word for it…” he muttered before petulantly nipping at his ice cream.

Dean licked his lips and smiled, before resuming his own eating. The smile disappeared when he fully registered the reality of what Gabe had said. Cas was gay. And Cas was single.

_Cas was gay and single._

Dean looked back up quickly. Thankfully, Cas wasn’t looking at him so he didn’t catch the wide eyes and parted mouth Dean knew he was sporting. Dean clamped his mouth shut and cleared his throat. Before he could say anything, Sam was speaking again.

“Hey Dean, d’ya think Bobby’s gonna make steaks tonight?”

“I really dunno, Sammy. He didn’t say.” Dean shrugged.

“Ok.” Sam turned back to Gabe. Dean heard him say, “Bobby’s cool. He cooks stuff on a fire a lot and he has this big beard and he lets me watch all these old monster and cowboy movies he’s got. And he’s got this room that’s bigger than me and Dean’s apartment and it’s full o’ books. Maybe you can meet him.”

“Gabe and Cas can’t come with us to Bobby’s, Sammy.” Dean steeled himself against Sam’s sad eyes.

Sam made a face. “Maybe next time?” he asked, hesitantly. Dean’s chest pulled at the hopeful tone. Sam didn’t warm up to many people, and he had even fewer friends his age than he had adults in his life.

Dean shot a quick glance Cas’ way, before looking back to Sam. “Yeah. Maybe,” he replied, in a soft voice.

* * *

Cas caught the look in Dean’s eye when he’d glanced his way after Sam had asked if Gabe could meet their friend Bobby. Cas knew how hard of a time Gabe had making friends because of how much he hated being in school, and he’d gotten the impression that Sam was a bit shy. Anna didn’t live near anyone with kids, so he had no neighbors to play with, and all of her friends were childless.

“We could set up a play-date for them,” Cas offered, once he was sure the boys were thoroughly engaged in their own conversation again. He was feeling emboldened by his protectiveness of Gabe.

“Yeah?” Dean’s eyes seemed to take all of Cas in, and Cas felt dizzy.

“Yeah. I’m sure Anna wouldn’t…” He bit his lip, not wanting to say anything more in front of Gabe. “We’ll discuss it later?” he asked, tilting his head towards the kids and hoping Dean would catch his meaning.

Dean smiled, and nodded. “Yeah, ok. Sounds good.” He went back to eating his ice cream and Cas looked away again. The pink tongue that kept darting out from between Dean’s lips was far too distracting.

There was a loud clinking of ceramic against metal and Cas looked over to see that Gabe had dropped his spoon to the table and lifted his arms triumphantly into the air. Sam’s face was wide-eyed and awe-stricken.

“I did it!” Gabe announced. Cas realized his bowl was completely empty, aside from a few smears of various sauces and melted cream. Then Gabe let out the largest belch Cas had ever heard from anyone so small.

Sam immediately erupted into a fit of giggles so strong that he snorted three times. Dean’s head flew back as he laughed, and his whole face turned pink beneath the freckles with the exertion. Cas dropped his head into his hand that wasn’t holding an ice cream cone, and hid his face.

Cas peered out in time to see Dean reaching out to give Gabe a fist bump, which Gabe was sheepishly returning, his own face turning a little pink, too. Cas sighed, his eyes closed, and shook his head. “Gabriel,” he said.

“Excuse me,” Gabe muttered, embarrassed.

Cas opened his eyes and caught Dean grinning at him. “Precocious?” Dean asked, teasingly.

Cas huffed out an exasperated laugh and shook his head again. “Something like that,” he said, propping his temple against his fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥ Thank you for reading! I'm really glad that so far you guys seem to enjoy reading this almost as much as I enjoyed writing it. ♥


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas have arranged a play-date for Sam and Gabe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to give a quick shout-out to my awesome Beta [wannaliveindeansdimples](http://archiveofourown.org/users/wannaliveindeansdimples), because without her eye for detail and helpful tweaks and comments, my fics would not be nearly as good. (And would have way more typos. Heh.) She is an awesome, fantastic writer and I learned everything from her so please go shower her in some kudos, too.

Dean was pretty sure he was more nervous over this play-date than he’d been about his last real date. He and Cas had decided since Gabe and Sam both had issues making friends that they’d get the boys together to play again soon, after that first chance encounter at the park. Cas had called a couple of days ago, said he’d gotten permission from Anna, and asked if Sam and Dean would be able to meet up Saturday.

Saturday was now here, and Dean kept looking out the windows to see if the weather was going to hold. Rain was headed their way, and it wasn’t clear if it would show up within minutes or hours. Dean didn’t want to cancel, but he wasn’t sure how they’d go to the park if it was pouring rain. Maybe they could go to one of those indoor playgrounds…

Dean made a face and perished the thought. Those places were germ magnets, and he was not going to subject Sam to whatever superbug might be lurking at the bottom of a ball pit. He’d figure something out. He was too eager to see Cas - and Sammy was too eager to see Gabe - to cancel their plans now.

There was a knock at the door and Dean walked briskly to it. His stomach did a little flip when he saw Cas through the peep hole. "Sammy!" he called out over his shoulder as he threw open the door.

Cas smiled and started to speak, but Gabe beat him to the punch and said "Hi, Dean," with a smirk and a wave.

Dean smiled at the kid. "Hi, Gabe." He took a step back and motioned for them to come in and then looked back to the blue eyes that were watching him. "Hey, Cas," he said in a slightly softer tone. He slid his hands nervously into his pockets.

"Hello, Dean," Cas replied, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Gabe!" Sam practically yelled as he barreled into the room. "You're here! Hey, come check out my room before we go." The 2 boys wandered off quickly and the 2 men were left standing in the living room.

Dean laughed and shut the door as he shook his head. "I dunno what it is about Gabe, but Sam sure has taken to him. Usually it's all I can do to get him to talk to anybody outside our little circle." Dean rubbed his palm against his neck. "Um, you want something to drink or anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine." Cas smiled and Dean was pretty sure the room got smaller. "I'm glad we were able to get them together. Gabe doesn't often connect with anyone, either, as I mentioned before."

“Yeah, well I…” Dean trailed off as he saw Sam’s figure appear behind Cas, coming out of his bedroom with a sad look. “Sammy? What’s wrong?”

“It’s raining, Dean,” Sam replied.

* * *

Cas turned and saw Gabe follow Sam into the room. He looked at Cas warily, as if he wasn’t sure if they’d get to stay. Cas looked back to Dean, equally unsure of what the plan would be now. Dean was gone, though, having walked into what was presumably his own bedroom.

“Sonuva…” Dean muttered from the other room. He walked back in, glancing at the kids, and then looking to Cas. Cas assumed Dean had gone to look out the window because he said, “It’s coming down pretty hard.” Dean’s mouth jerked on one side in obvious annoyance.

Then he sighed and put his hands on his hips. He lifted one eyebrow up and looked at the 2 boys who were waiting expectantly, before leveling his eyes at Cas again. “Pizza and a movie? We can all watch, or we can find something to watch while the boys play with Sam’s toys?” he asked with a one-armed shrug.

Unexpected relief rushed through Cas. “That sounds like a good plan to me. If you’re sure you don’t mind us invading your space for a while.” The boys whooped and ran back into Sam’s bedroom.

Dean walked over and opened a laptop that sat on the couch. “Nah, it gives the boys time to hang out.” Then he tilted his head towards the bedrooms. “Sammy! Get back in here; I need to know what you want on your pizzas!”

“I’ll split the cost with you,” Cas offered as he sat down in the cushy recliner beside the couch. He didn’t trust himself to sit directly beside of Dean.

Dean shook his head. “That isn’t necessary.”

“I’d like to, Dean. Please.” Cas smiled. “Besides, Gabe will probably want extra toppings.” Cas’ smile became a grin as he watched Dean’s eyes grow wide and then a smirk plant itself on Dean’s pink lips.

“Yeah, ok, we’ll split it,” Dean relented, with a laugh. The 2 boys rushed over to the couch at that moment and crowded up beside Dean to look at the laptop screen.

“Where are we orderin’ from?” Sam asked, laying his head on Dean’s shoulder. Cas smiled at the 3 of them, surprised at how cozy Gabriel already was with both of the Winchester brothers.

* * *

 

Dean listened patiently as Gabe and Sam debated the various merits of their pizza topping options. Being able to cast furtive glances in Cas’ directions while the boys chattered helped his patience infinitely.

Cas was wearing jeans this time, and the closeness of the denim to the curves of his muscles definitely did him more justice than the khakis had. That he was wearing a tshirt with sleeves just shy of covering his biceps helped, too.

Sammy finally settled on mushrooms and pepperoni, but Gabe wanted ham, pineapple, bacon, and green olives. Dean shot Cas a look. “He’ll eat it,” Cas assured him with a nod. Dean shrugged and split what the boys wanted half and half on one pizza before the 2 kids went back to Sam’s room. Then Dean added his own all-meat pizza, and Cas’ specialty order that had feta instead of mozzarella and some other unusual stuff.

After Cas’ seemingly boring order of vanilla bean ice cream the other day, Dean was surprised by his pizza request. An idea sprang forth in Dean’s mind of him being surprised by other non-vanilla requests of Cas’ - specifically while in the bed just a few feet away - and he had to swallow as his throat was suddenly dry.

“They’re not far down the street, so it shouldn’t be long.” Dean closed the laptop and ran his hands along his thighs. “So…um…” He looked at Cas and was at a sudden loss of what to say or do next.

“What movie did you have in mind?” Cas asked.

“Oh! Right. Uh, well…” Dean stood and walked over to the dvds on the bookshelf by the tv. Dean’s eyes skimmed the titles, and he leaned over a little to better see them. Suddenly he was very aware of Cas standing near him, also looking them over. His breath caught a little in his chest and he had to take a deep steadying breath and let it out slowly before speaking again.

“I don’t have a lot that would appeal to all of us. It’s mostly adult action movies, and really bad kids stuff,” Dean chuckled. “But uh…maybe Thor? It’s s’posed to be PG13, but there’s not really anything in it. Sam’s seen it a few times, now. I don’t know what kind of stuff your friend wants her son seeing, though.”

“I’m pretty sure she’s let him watch that one, actually, so it should be fine,” came the gravelly voice that was much closer than Dean had expected. He straightened up and looked at Cas, who had his head tilted and was squinting at the movies. “I need to text her and let her know the change of plans, anyway, so I’ll check?” Cas lifted his head and his eyes widened, almost as if he was surprised to see Dean standing there.

There was a moment longer of silence than there should have been as Dean licked his lips. “Yeah,” he replied, in a dry, rough voice. “Ok.” He stepped back away from the dvds and from Cas and went into the kitchen. “I’m gonna get me some soda. You sure you don’t want anything?”

* * *

Cas shut his eyes and took a deep breath as Dean walked away, his back turned to Cas. “Uh, actually, I’ll take some water,” Cas said before swallowing hard.

He had joined Dean near the shelves in order to help him choose a movie and had wound up catching a whiff of his aftershave. It had set something alight within Cas so he’d focused hard on trying to ignore Dean’s presence and just look at the dvds. He’d been so focused on them, though, that he hadn’t noticed he’d shifted and was standing obliviously close to Dean. That was, until Dean was suddenly moving away in a hurry, and Cas became painfully aware of just how close he’d gotten.

Peals of laughter from the other room reminded Cas why he was actually there and he felt a little guilty. He scratched at the stubble where neck met jaw and chewed at his cheek for a moment. Maybe the pizza would arrive soon and then he could focus on bonding with his nephew instead of ogling the brother of his nephew’s friend. Cas sighed and wandered into the kitchen to follow Dean.

Dean was getting ice cubes from the freezer when Cas entered the room. It was a small kitchen, but obviously well stocked and often used. The sturdy wooden table in the center of the room was clearly old, and it made Cas smile a little when he spied crayon marks and coffee rings. When he looked back up, Dean was proffering a glass of ice water.

“Thank you.” Cas sipped at the water and continued to look around the room as Dean poured himself a soda. “I’ll text Anna now about the movie,” Cas said pulling out his phone.

“Hey, uh, so is it cool if I give them Sprite with their pizza? I know some parents don’t like their kids drinking stuff like that so… ya know.” Dean shrugged a shoulder as he twisted the cap back onto the 2 liter.

“As long as it’s a small glass, it should be fine. Anna usually will let him have things like that on special occasions.” Cas shot off a quick message to Anna, letting her know their whereabouts and asking about the movie. He swallowed some more of his water and then said, eyeing Dean from the side of his eyes, “I can’t get over how taken Gabe seems to be with Sam. As I’ve said, he doesn’t normally warm up so quickly to other kids.”

“Dude! Tell me about it. Sam is…” Dean frowned a little and set the drink that had been nearly to his lips back down on the counter. He spread his palms against the counter as he leaned against it with the backs of his hips.

“Well, ever since our parents – you know – he’s just had a rough time of it.”

Cas took a chance and said, “I would guess it hasn’t been easy for either of you.”

Dean just shrugged, but his face tightened for a brief moment. “Yeah, but Sam has a really hard time around other kids now. I think he feels different, like there’s something wrong with him somehow. So…anyway, it’s friggin’ awesome to see him make a new friend so fast.” Dean smiled, and picked his soda back up to drink it.

Before he had the chance, there was a sudden din of running footsteps and, almost instantly, Gabe and Sam were by Dean's knees asking if they could have something to drink and how soon the pizza would arrive.

Dean raised his hands above their heads, partially to free them from the boys' grasp and partially to signal them to calm down. "Ok, ok! Yes." Dean gave Cas a wide-eyed look and both men laughed. 

* * *

Dean proceeded to get Sam and Gabe some water as he let them know it would still be a little while for the food. He’d let them have soda once the pizza was there. He was grateful for the intrusion. It not only lightened the mood after he'd unexpectedly brought up his parents, but also gave him something to do besides look at Cas.

"Who's that guy?" Dean heard Gabe ask. He turned back to see what Gabe meant, but Sam was already replying.

"That's Jimi Hendrix," Sam explained, looking at the poster that was taped to one wall of the kitchen. Dean had never gotten around to upgrading to framed art after he'd taken over guardianship of Sam.

"Who's Jimi Hendrix?" Gabe asked, scrunching his face up.

"You've never heard of Jimi Hendrix?" Sam asked with a tone, as if Gabe had just admitted he'd never seen a French fry. Sam’s face made Dean huff out a laugh.

Ok, so maybe Dean's influence contributed to Sam feeling a little bit different from other 6 year olds. Dean shot a quick glance to Cas who looked amused. Dean couldn't help but think the expression on the dark-haired man's face was adorable.

Dean smirked and then licked his lips. “Hey, Sammy, does Gabe know what Zeppelin is?”

Sam looked expectantly at Gabe who frowned and shook his head slowly. “Dude,” Sam scoffed. “Zeppelin rules. Come on, we’re going back to my room.” Sam took Gabe’s hand and practically dragged the slightly taller boy behind him and out of the kitchen.

When Dean looked back to Cas he was watching Dean with one eyebrow raised. Dean shrugged. “If ya gotta raise a kid as your own, you gotta at least teach ‘em good music, right?” Dean asked with a sheepish smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for all of the love in the form of kudos and comments and subscriptions and just ALL of it. I'm sorry for the longer times between updates, I just haven't had the time to post or write (and it's making me crazy and sad) but I will try to do better. As always, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and lots of love to you all! 
> 
> And I SWEAR I will reply to comments ASAP. Kind of goes back to the no time, thing. :(


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys settle in for pizza and a movie during their playdate.

The pizza had shown up, to the sound of Sam loudly introducing Gabe to “Black Dog”, and all the boys had gathered back in the living room and around the tv to eat and watch the movie.

Cas had eaten one too many slices of his pizza and was nestled into the cushy chair feeling nicely sedate. He was only half-watching the movie now, more interested in listening to the boys' running commentary and in stealing sideways glances at Dean. He sat with a small smile on his face, his eyes heavily lidded and not quite focused on the screen.

Dean sat along the couch, stretched out, obviously comfortable. The two boys were sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. Gabe had his legs outstretched and was resting backwards on his palms. Sam was nearly the opposite, lying on his belly with his head near Gabe’s feet, resting his head on his palms.

The sound of Dean sighing caught Cas’ attention and he glanced over with his eyebrows raised. Dean was leaning back on the couch, running his hands along his thighs. Cas’ eyes lingered a moment too long on the way the denim hugged those thighs.

“I’m gonna clean up,” Dean announced as he closed his own pizza box that was set on the arm of the couch. “You kids done with your pizza for now?”

Without looking away from the screen, and his words mumbled because of his chin being shoved into his hands, Sam replied, “Gabe ate all his already. I’ll eat mine later.”

Cas noticed the impressed look Dean gave Gabriel and smirked. “All right, hand me the box then,” Dean said to Sammy, with his hand outstretched. Gabe then impressed Cas by being the one to do so, so that Sam could stay comfortable. Dean reopened his box and placed the remaining two slices of Sam’s in with his before stacking the boxes atop one another.

Dean started to gather up the glasses and dirty paper towels, but Cas moved to stand and stopped him. “Here, I’ll help.” Then he smiled and said, “I need to get up or I’ll fall asleep, I think.” The sound of the rain was combining strongly with his full belly.

Dean gave him a small smile that made his chest flutter and shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah. Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

Dean walked into the kitchen with his arms full, followed closely behind by Cas. Dean had gotten relaxed on the couch, almost dozing instead of watching the movie, but he’d jolted fully awake as soon as Cas’ blue eyes had caught his when Cas had offered his help with the pizza and dishes.

The two men cleaned up without speaking, the soundtrack of the movie carrying easily through the small apartment. Once everything was thrown away or in the sink, Dean leaned against the counter and looked to Cas. “You want some more soda? Or a beer or something?”

Cas seemed to contemplate the offer and Dean smiled to himself at the expression Cas made while he did so. His head tilted ever so slightly to the side and his eyes squinted a bit, and Dean wondered if Cas even knew he was doing it. “A beer sounds nice, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Nope! Gonna have one myself.” Dean pushed away from the counter and pulled open the fridge, quickly grabbing two cold bottles from the top shelf where they lay on their sides. After swinging the door back shut, he grabbed the magnetic bottle opener from the door and popped the caps into the trash can.

Cas’ eyes closed as he tipped up the bottle to his lips. Dean’s stayed open, eagerly tracking the movement of muscles in Cas’ throat, even as he drank a long pull from his own beer. Cas’ eyes opened, catching Dean’s, and Dean had to look away in a flash as his felt his cheeks grow pink.

Dean heard the screech of chair legs on the floor and turned back to see Cas sitting down into the chair he’d just pulled from beneath the kitchen table. Cas looked sheepishly up to Dean. “If I sit in your recliner again right now, I will probably fall asleep.” He gave Dean a small lopsided smile, and Dean chuckled.

“Yeah, same with the couch, probably.” Dean took the few steps over to the chair across from Cas and sat down.

 

* * *

 

Cas wasn’t even sure what he and Dean talked about. He just knew time had passed quickly and easily and before he realized it his beer was nearly empty and he could hear the music of the movie credits playing. He and Dean had sat at the table and chatted like old friends, none of Cas’ usual awkwardness around new people ever rearing its head.

He downed the last dregs of his beer and opened his mouth to speak, but something about the way Dean sat stilled the words within his mouth. Dean had a slight smirk, and one eyebrow raised in a curve. His head was tilted towards the living room as if listening for something. That’s when Cas realized he could hear Sam and Gabe talking in the living room, the adults in the kitchen seemingly forgotten.

From the sound of it, Sam was giving Gabe a tour of the small room. Cas heard him point out a picture of the previously mentioned Uncle Bobby and then Sam launched into a story about the old western they’d watched when they’d last been to his house. Cas glanced back to Dean and was greeted with a warm smile.

Cas smiled too, and at Dean’s nod, the two men got up quietly from their seats, careful not to scrape the chair legs against the floor, and went to stand near the doorway. Dean stopped short of walking through and put up a hand to stall Cas. Cas again caught the scent of Dean’s aftershave – or was it cologne? – and his legs wavered beneath him. He focused on the sound of Gabe’s voice, needing desperately to ignore how close Dean was to him.

“Who’s that?” Gabe asked. Cas could just make out the line of the back of Gabe’s shoulders from where he stood.

“Who? Oh, that’s Lisa.” Sam’s voice was lower and further away. “She’s Dean's friend. They dated before…” Sam cleared his throat. “Before I moved in with Dean. That’s Ben, her kid. He’s pretty cool.”

Cas studiously ignored the glance he felt Dean make in his direction, nearly as hard as he ignored the drop in his stomach at the mention of Dean having an ex- _girl_ friend.

“That’s Carmen. She and Dean dated for a while, I guess.” Cas’ jaw tightened involuntarily at another reminder of where Dean’s interests lay. Sam apparently was pointing out other people in photos now as Cas heard him rattle off names like Ellen, Jo, Pamela, and Annie. He tried not to wonder how many of those were also ex-girlfriends - or if any were current girlfriends.

“Whoa, who’s the dude with the hair?” Gabe’s shoulders disappeared from view then.

Sam chuckled a little. “That’s Ash. He’s cool, you’d like him, too.”

“Holy shit, dude, who’s the guy holding the giant fish?” Cas reminded himself he needed to talk to Gabe about his language again and nearly didn’t hear what Sam said next.

“That’s Benny,” Sam said, though the fondness he’d had in his voice for the other names was clearly missing. “He was Dean’s boyfriend for a while.” There was a murmur from Gabe, but Cas couldn’t make it out, possibly due to the sound of his own brain screeching to a halt. “Dean?” Sam continued. “Dean likes _everybody_.” This was followed by a snort from both boys.

Cas looked over to Dean and was immediately struck by how very pink the blond man had become since Cas had last looked at him. Dean’s eyes were wide and his lips were pressed together in an awkward line. He glanced at Cas, but immediately looked away again and swallowed hard. Cas was pretty sure Dean had grown even pinker and he couldn’t help but smile.

 

* * *

 

Dean was trying not to choke on his own tongue, and he could tell from the heat of his cheeks that he was probably nine shades of red right then. He had obviously wanted Cas to know of his sexuality, but he hadn’t expected to be outed in quite that manner. Betrayed by his own little brother, he thought with a crazy laugh that erupted slightly from his mouth as a strangled sound. He cleared his throat and looked at Cas.

God, Cas must think he was a man-slut. The tone with which Sam had said “everybody” made it pretty clear Sam didn’t just mean people of either sex and Dean wondered just how much more Sam knew about him than he’d meant for him to. That was tabled for a later internal debate though, as Dean struggled to think of something to say to Cas.

“So that’s uh…That sounds way worse than it is,” Dean said on another choked laugh. “I mean…I have standards.” Dean tried to joke, but couldn’t must the proper tone.

Cas was looking at him with wide eyes which suddenly narrowed as if Cas was making a decision. Then they widened again and crinkled again as Cas began to smile. He took a step towards Dean, as if he were about to speak, but they were interrupted by the two boys walking into the kitchen.

“You guys missed the whole rest of the movie!” Sam scolded Dean as he climbed up into a chair and sat on his knees.

Gabe grabbed a hold of Cas’ jeans and tugs a little. “Yeah, you missed the end, Uncle Cas. How come it took you so long to clean up?”

“We got to talking,” Dean answered, mostly in response to Sam.

“Grown ups are boring,” Gabe said matter of factly, pulling himself up in to a chair opposite of Sam. “So are we doing dessert?” He looked at Dean eagerly.

“We should probably go, actually,” Cas said, shooting an apologetic look as Dean’s head snapped back to look at him. “I promised Anna I’d have Gabe back in time for her to take him to her parents.”

“Awwwwwww!” both of the younger boys whined in unison.

“That sucks,” Sam said, his voice nearly breaking.

Dean’s heart cracked a little at the sound. He gave Sam a similar look to the one Cas had given to Dean. “Sorry, kiddo. You guys can get together again soon, though. Right?” He directed the question to Cas who quickly nodded.

“Yes, I’m sure that’s doable.” Cas looked at Sam and smiled and Dean thought he’d never looked sexier. “Anna’s glad Gabe has a new friend, I’m sure he can come back soon.”

“Yeah?” Sam looked hopeful.

“Hell yeah!” Gabe replied. “You’re awesome, Sammy. Mom has to let me come back.” Then Gabe looked sheepish and Dean grinned. He rifled his hand through the kid’s hair and Gabe made a face, but didn’t pull away.

 

* * *

 

As the boys said their goodbyes, Cas fought himself over the right words to use to not only set up another time and date for Sam and Gabe to see one another, but also a time when maybe Cas could see Dean alone. Preferably with some wine and romantic music, if he had his way. He’d practically wanted to do cartwheels upon learning that Dean was open to dating men.

Well before Cas was ready, Sam and Dean were walking him and Gabe all the way out to his car at Sam’s insistence. It had stopped raining finally, though the clouds were still dark and threatening to loose buckets again at any moment. Puddles filled in gaps of the tiny lawn of the townhouse apartment building and the parking lot had small streams running through it.

“So, uh…” Dean scratched at the back of his neck for a moment as he and Cas wandered over to the driver’s side door, carefully avoiding a deep puddle. Sam and Gabe remained on the sidewalk where they were in a heated debate over whether Thor or Loki was the coolest character. Cas had been unsurprised to learn Gabe was a Loki fan.

“Yes,” Cas said, as if that response made any sense.

“We should…we should do this again. Soon,” Dean said, staring a some fixed point on Cas’ chest. He looked up and Cas’ breath caught at just how deeply green Dean’s eyes looked in this lighting.

“I’d like…” He started to speak, to ask Dean if maybe they could get together soon themselves when he realized Dean was talking.

“Maybe um… maybe we cou…” Dean was interrupted by Cas’ phone ringing. Cas nearly swore, but then saw it was Anna’s number.

He looked up at Dean with a pained expression. “I should really get this, it’s Gabe’s mother.” Dean nodded hurriedly and waved him on before walking over to run his hand through Sam’s hair. Cas smiled at Sam’s annoyance as he answered the phone. He hoped he could end the call quickly so he could ask Dean out before he had to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry for being MIA, guys. Work has been kicking my butt and then GISHWHES happened and I had no time to write or post. I LOVE you guys and I feel awful that I haven't been around and replied to comments and everything. :( I will do that ASAP tonight. Another chapter for this will be posted in the next couple of days, as well. I hope you liked this one!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has the apartment to himself as Sam's at a friend's. Cas has to make a detour on his way home thanks to Gabe.

Dean flopped down onto the couch with a sigh. He looked around the empty apartment and wiggled his lips to burn off extra energy. Nights alone had become so rare he hardly knew what to do with himself once the quiet settled in. And the apartment without Sammy was a very _empty_ kind of quiet. He, of course, cherished getting time to himself, but it always took a bit of mental adjustment before he could find something with which to occupy himself.

Dean leaned over and popped open the beer he’d placed on the coffee table. His eyes closed as he drank a large gulp, downing nearly half the bottle in one go. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked around the small living room once again. His eyes flicked to the dvds on the shelves and his mind flicked over to Cas.

Dean sighed again and frowned. He hadn’t gotten a chance to ask Cas out. Anna’s phone call had been urgent, something to do with her parents and an unexpected cousin showing up or something. One of those small crises that arise seemingly every other night in the life of a single parent, the details to be lost by the next week. Dean knew well enough about those by now. He’d had moments of sheer panic over things as simple as dinner and socks. Regardless of what had come up, Cas hadn’t been able to get her off the phone and the moment had been lost.

He’d considered texting, but had decided it was the chickenshit way of doing things. A voice in his mind insisted that not asking at all was far more chickenshit, but he’d been able to finally quiet it down the past few days. He liked Cas, a lot, and he didn’t think that asking him out for a date should be done the same way they’d set up another playdate for Sam and Gabe next week.

Dean downed some more of his beer as he thought more about Cas. Specifically, more about Cas’ mouth and eyes and generally perfect overall appearance.  Then his thoughts became even more specific and his eyes glazed over as he conjured images of just how good Cas had looked in the jeans he’d worn when they’d last seen each other, and just how good those jeans would look lying discarded at the foot of Dean’s bed.

Dean looked at the bottom of his bottle with one eye, the other squinted shut, as he realized his last sip had come up short. He frowned again and wandered into the kitchen to grab a second bottle, realizing as he stood that he was half-hard from his daydreams. Now that wasn’t a bad way to pass some time while he was alone.

 

* * *

 

Cas gripped the steering wheel tighter than normal and he could practically feel himself gaining new wrinkles as he frowned hard at the road. Partially it was due to the ridiculously heavy rain that had just come out of nowhere, but, if he was honest, it was mostly because he was nearly to Sam and Dean’s apartment.

Anna had texted him right as he was leaving work, asking if he could swing by Gabe’s new friend’s house to pick up some toy. It had apparently been left when they’d visited. Cas had no memory whatsoever of Gabe having any toys with him that day, but Gabe was always secreting away things to carry with him. Once he’d pulled a large Nerf gun from the far back of Anna’s hatchback as they’d all been on their way to the zoo and not a single adult could remember even seeing him with it earlier that day. Anna wasn’t even certain it was his.

So here he was, nervously driving to the apartment of the man he’d barely been able to get out of his head for nearly a week. When Cas wasn’t daydreaming about Dean, thinking decidedly un-work-related thoughts while zoning out in his cubicle, Gabe was talking about Sam and Dean. Cas was being slowly driven crazy.

He had planned to call Dean once he was close, let him know he was nearby and needed to pick up Gabe’s toy. The rain, which required him to have both hands on the wheel, had knocked that plan for a loop.

He knew the wiser thing would have been to text Dean, ask if he’d even seen the thing Gabe was missing, and then ask about a good time to pick it up. He also knew that he’d chicken out doing it that way. If he called Dean and said he was almost there, he would have no choice but to actually show up at Dean’s. And then maybe, just maybe, he’d have the guts to ask Dean out, since he’d lost his chance during the playdate.

He narrowed his eyes bitterly as he remembered Anna’s call and how it had come at exactly the perfectly wrong time. He needed to remember to thank her for cockblocking him. Then Cas rolled his eyes at how he’d apparently begun picking up phrases from his friend Balthazar. That was the last thing he needed.

Actually, the last thing he needed was this damn rainstorm. Apparently the Winchester’s apartment was some kind of freak weather magnet, judging by his two visits there so far. It had been cloudy all day, but this heavy rain had blown up out of nowhere. Cas was pretty sure that if he were to put his head out of the window he’d see the heavy black cloud was only above him.

 

* * *

 

Dean took the first sip of his beer, making sure not to down this one quite so quickly. Knowing his luck he’d have a couple of beers too fast and get so sleepy he’d doze off on the couch and miss his entire night alone. When the hell did he get so old and boring? Dean smirked as his eye caught sight of an errant action figure under the coffee table. Right, it was around the same time he’d had to adopt his bundle of energy little brother and his Friday nights out in bars with buddies had become Saturday mornings in pajamas with Sammy.

Dean sighed again and leaned back onto the couch. He wondered if Cas ever went out partying on Friday nights. He had a feeling Cas wasn’t really the type. He smirked again, in a very different way, as he considered that Cas seemed the type that would be wild at home – in bed – rather than out on the town. And that type suited Dean just fine, thank you very much.

Dean whipped up and around at the sudden, loud knock that jolted him from his thoughts. The front door was barely a few feet from his head where he sat and was especially loud. He swallowed hard and adjusted himself below the belt, since he’d let his mind wander a little too freely to Cas in bed. He had no idea who the hell would be knocking and the hair on the back of his neck rose as he tensed and hopped up from the couch. He looked through the peephole, and then leaned back from the door, a stunned expression on his face.

He numbly opened the door, the stunned look staying put. Cas was standing in his doorway, in a long beige trenchcoat that was dripping rain into a puddle at his feet. Dean stared and his mouth opened and shut a couple of times before he found his voice.

 

* * *

 

Cas had sat in the car for several minutes, hoping for a break in the rain, but it had persisted and all of his searching for an umbrella had proven fruitless. He contemplated just driving home, but he really didn’t want to continue to drive in the messy weather and he’d already made it all the way here. Dean’s Impala was parked out front and the lights to the apartment were on so he knew they were home.

Cas had discovered, when he’d checked Anna’s text again to remind himself of what Gabe’s toy was, that his battery was nearly dead. Then he’d had to trek from where he’d parked across the street over to the town house in which Dean’s apartment was located. He’d managed to soak his pants cuffs and he suspected water was about to start leaking into his shoes by the time he’d reached the long, thin stairway up to Dean’s door.

He stood under the awning for a long moment, steadying himself with a deep breath. There was no noise coming from the apartment and he wondered if perhaps he’d been wrong about Sam and Dean being home. He supposed there was only one way to find out. It occurred to him as he knocked that maybe showing up at Dean’s front door, uninvited and looking like a wet and bedraggled kitten, was not really the best way to woo him.

The thought was too late, though, as Dean answered the door so quickly it was if he’d been expecting a visitor. Dean’s face showed clear shock and Cas suddenly felt very sheepish, very wet, and very nervous. Dean’s voice stalled and Cas cleared his throat trying to find his own.

“Hello, Dean,” was all he mustered.

“Uh. Yo…wh… Hi, Cas.” Dean frowned and ran a hand through his hair, reminding Cas of how his must look from the wind and rain.

“I, uh, I apologize for...” Cas looked down at himself, lifting the coat a little at one lapel. “For…this…” he said lamely. He wondered if Dean could see the flush he felt in his cheeks. He looked up in time to catch the pink of Dean’s tongue dart back into Dean’s mouth and had to remind himself to look further up and into Dean’s eyes.

Dean seemed to collect himself, and straightened up. He motioned for Cas to enter and so Cas stepped through the door, very aware that he was now dripping water onto Dean’s floor. “So, uh,” Dean laughed, “to what do I owe the pleasure?” He slid one hand in his pocket as he looked Cas over again. The two men stood directly in front of the door, taking up no more than three feet between them.

Cas was frustrated at being so close to Dean and he bit his lip before he launched into a rushed explanation for his sudden appearance.

 

* * *

 

Dean tried to keep up with the story about a missing toy, but his brain was too fuzzy with the tipsiness of beer and the shock of seeing a very wet and sexily disheveled Cas show up on his doorstep. Dean had just been picturing the other man naked, and now he standing less than two feet from him. It was proving Dean’s blood supply was not sufficient enough for both his brain and his dick. That was making it difficult to think.

Dean just looked blankly at Cas, with wide eyes, as he stopped speaking. He was overwhelmed with how close they stood to one another, and the way Cas’ eyes were glinting in the low light of the apartment. He blinked a few times and then his eyes were drawn to Cas’ mouth, and how his full pink lips were slightly parted. Dean felt himself falling towards Cas in a sudden crush of their mouths, his body working independently of his malfunctioning brain, overtaken with sudden desire.

Dean wrapped one eager hand against the back of Cas’ neck, pulling him closer, as his other hand grabbed hold of Cas’ hip beneath his wet coat. Suddenly, his brain caught up and his grip loosened. He began to pull back. He’d only made it a fraction of an inch, though, and his apology had not yet formed in his throat, when Cas’ mouth came forward.

Cas’ tongue breached Dean’s lips and his arms wrapped around Dean and pulled their bodies back together, with even more force than Dean had grabbed onto Cas. Any thought of the cold wetness of Cas’ coat was lost during the next few frenzied seconds, as Dean reacted to the warm wetness of Cas’ tongue. It plunged deeply into Dean’s mouth and expertly worked against Dean’s own tongue.

All too quickly, Cas was pulling away again, this time pushing at Dean to further the distance between them and a small groan escaped Dean’s throat at the loss of contact. Dean’s eyes fluttered open begrudgingly to find Cas looking intently at him. Cas’ eyes were dark with lust, the blue only an outline to dark pupils, but his expression was concerned.

“Where’s Sammy?”  he asked in a rough-hewn whisper.

Dean swallowed as he stared at Cas, wide-eyed and trying to find his voice from where Cas had pushed it down with his tongue. “Gone. He’s at my friend Lisa’s tonight.” Dean’s voice was rough even to his own ears.

The stern expression fell from Cas’ face and was replaced with what appeared to be a mixture of relief and desire. Dean didn’t have a chance to decide for sure, because Cas was crashing into him again at speed, hands and mouth roaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun DUN! :D
> 
> I really hope you guys liked this chapter. As always, much love to you and your kudos and comments and so on mean the world to me! (Even if I'm sometimes really super slow in replying to them...Heh.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas' detour to Dean's place doesn't end at all the way either of them expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be aware that a beginning bit of the sequel is at the end of this last chapter. :)

Cas wasn’t sure how he’d arrived at Dean’s door only to somehow trip into an alternate dimension where Dean’s strong hands were working their way under Cas’ shirt as his tongue worked into Cas’ mouth, but he wasn’t going to question it. He decided instead to just go with it and enjoy it until he woke up in reality.

Dean’s mouth tasted as good as it had looked, with a chaser taste of good beer. His hands were roaming nearly as wildly as Cas’ own. Cas leaned further into the kiss, one thigh angling between Dean’s. When a groan escaped from Dean, Cas angled his thigh a little more to see if he could elicit another one. He wasn’t disappointed as Dean moaned into his mouth.

Cas’ hands scrambled for purchase on Dean’s shirt, but Dean’s hands had grabbed hold of Cas’ coat and it was blocking his grasp. Some distant, barely functioning, part of his brainmade him move his arms so that Dean could drag the wet coat off of him. He was vaguely aware of glancing at it as it went flying towards the couch, before Dean’s hands were on either side of his face to pull him in for another kiss.

Their mouths crashed together, repeatedly, pulling away only long enough for one of them to adjust the angle or to suck on a lip. Cas’ hands began pulling Dean’s belt through the loops of his jeans before Cas had even realized he’d unbuckled it. Dean groaned – No, wait that was him not Dean – as Dean’s fingers dug into the backs of his hips and the curve of his ass.

Dean gasped for air – it was definitely Dean this time – as Cas’ mouth found his neck, and he brushed his full, slick lips across it before biting down. He stopped the bite long enough to suck a little, only to pull away and run his lips over the skin again. When he repeated the move, Dean grabbed Cas’ hair and growled.

Cas looked up long enough to match his lips to Dean and begin kissing his mouth again. Suddenly Cas pitched forward slightly, nearly banging his teeth into Dean’s. Dean pushed his body away from Cas for a brief moment before pulling at Cas with his hands, using his own momentum to practically drag Cas towards the bedroom door.

Cas’ mind went blank of any rational thoughts, filled instead with sensation and want. They tumbled backwards onto the bed, Dean first, and their lips only parted long enough for them both to exhale in a huff as they landed. Then they were together again, tongues exploring every cranny they could reach.

* * *

 

Dean had no idea what had possessed him to kiss Cas the way he did when he did, but he was sure as hell glad it had happened. Cas was lying on top of him on the bed now, making sounds that nearly bypassed Dean’s ears and headed straight for his cock instead.

Their legs tangled together and lay half off the mattress as they’d landed width-wise on the bed. Dean’s rational brain tried to remind him this was all happening very fast and very haphazardly, but the irrational part – which hadn’t been laid in nearly a year – was currently shoving its fist down the rational bit’s throat. Much like Cas was shoving his tongue down Dean’s throat, as a matter of fact.

Dean’s head dropped back to the mattress and he let out a long groan as he squinted his eyes shut. Cas had rolled his hips and ground against Dean’s dick and Dean couldn’t do anything but hold tight to Cas’ hips and hope he lived through it.

He raised his head up, mouth open, eyes lidded, and looked at Cas who was trying to lick every millimeter of skin that Dean’s v-neck didn’t cover. That wasn’t good enough apparently, as Cas’ hands were very quickly working to divest Dean of the shirt altogether.

Dean shifted and let himself be undressed, the shirt catching on his face rather ungracefully for a moment. Apparently Cas had grabbed hold of his own shirt while Dean’s face was covered, because, as Dean yanked the cloth off his head, he was greeted with the sight of Cas’ bare stomach, soon followed by his chest and shoulders.

“Shit,” Dean murmured in awe, his hands snaking up to run along Cas’ chest and abdomen. Cas’ chest was shaved, but he’d left a light happy trail along his stomach and it made Dean very happy indeed. Then Cas dropped his head back to Dean’s and they were kissing again - which somehow made him even happier.

They made out feverishly for several moments, hips rolling and grinding. Cas kicked his shoes off as Dean worked his mouth quickly over Cas’ nipples and ribs. Dean wanted Cas’ pants off, preferably five minutes ago, but that meant pausing the sensations below his waist momentarily and he wasn’t ready for that yet. Cas seemed to be though, and he pulled away from Dean to lay on his back and pull away the belt that Dean had already undone.

Cas began undoing his slacks and so Dean followed suit with his jeans before climbing atop the nearly naked Cas. They kissed and panted and moved against one another, still in a rush. Dean was sure if they slowed down reality would suddenly strike and he’d find he was sitting on the couch, drunk and daydreaming, alone with his own hand around his dick.

* * *

 

Cas didn’t normally fall into bed with men he hadn’t even had a real dinner with, but Cas didn’t normally spend time with men as sexy and alluring as Dean Winchester either. God, he was even sexier in person than he’d been in Cas’ late night fantasies over the past week.

Cas rolled them over again so that he was on top and rocked his hips so that their dicks pushed against one another with only the thin layer of their boxers between them. He gasped as Dean sucked his nipple into his mouth and all thoughts of the fantasy were banished by the greatness of the reality.

Cas had no idea what the hell he was doing, but it felt amazing and he sure as hell wasn’t going to stop doing it. As Dean’s teeth across his neck almost short-circuited his brain again, Cas did have one rational thought. “Condoms?” he asked, breathlessly.

“Drawer,” Dean murmured against Cas’ neck. Dean’s voice ground out the word “Table,” then and Cas struggled to breathe at the way sounded as it was growled against his ear.

Cas leaned over, rolling his hips purposefully and gaining a bite to his pec in repayment. He rifled through the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a strip of foil wrapped condoms from a box. Dean stilled suddenly and Cas looked down at him, concerned. “Uh.” Dean swallowed and then mouth fell open in a half-pant again. “Check the expiration date.”

Cas did and they were good so he tore off two and dropped the other in the vague direction of the drawer, not even looking that way. He tore the two apart then ripped into one packet with his teeth and dropped the other onto Dean’s chest. Cas rolled off of him long enough for them to get their boxers off and put on protection. Before he could roll back to their previous position, though, Dean was atop him, one warm, solid thigh pressed steadily between Cas’ legs, parting them.

Dean reached down and managed to take both their dicks into his one hand, and began working them in earnest, sliding his fist along them with steady pressure. It was more than Cas had been touched in too long to remember and he writhed beneath Dean. Cas dug one hand into Dean’s flesh and the other into Dean’s blanket.

“Fuck,” Cas let out breathlessly. A steady stream of expletives and soft murmurs came from them both then and Dean dropped his shoulder so that their foreheads touched. His hand kept up the frenzied pace their kissing had set and they were both headed to the edge of an orgasm rather quickly.

Cas’ eyes shut tight and his mouth stayed open as he panted and swore and bucked his hips up and his cock into Dean’s hand. Cas let go of the blanket and grabbed hold of Dean’s hand instead and helped him keep the pace. The added pressure and steadiness soon toppled Cas over, his orgasm ripping through him and leaving him feeling like he was now boneless. Cas growled at the overly powerful sensation of Dean’s hand still pumping away at him.

Then Dean dropped his mouth to Cas’ and as they kissed, Dean’s groan ricocheted through them, his own orgasm hitting him just as hard. Dean collapsed and he weighed heavily on Cas, both men breathing hard.

* * *

 

Dean rolled off Cas with a grunt and fell onto his back with a huff. His eyes fluttered shut and he tried to steady his breathing. They both lay motionless, hands and hips touching. Dean swallowed and opened his eyes, staring unseeing at his ceiling. He licked his swollen lips and looked over at Cas with heavily-lidded eyes. He gave Cas a lopsided smile as the dark-haired man turned to look at him.

Cas let out a small laugh and gave a smile that seemed to Dean much shyer than it ought to be considering what they’d just done. Dean felt suddenly shy too, though, now that his brain was receiving its standard amount of blood. He licked his lips again and then pressed them into a line.

Cas grinned all of a sudden and Dean frowned at him, feeling as if he’d missed a joke. “What?” he asked with a huff of laughter, leaving up a little to get a better look at Cas.

Cas shook his head as he lifted to take off his spent condom. “Did you know you get little dimples when you do that?” He looked back at Dean with an eyebrow cocked up.

Dean narrowed his eyes and gave Cas a playful glare. “Do not.” Cas’ eyebrow lifted higher. Dean chuckled softly. “Shuddup,” he muttered as he tended to his own condom.

They tossed the condoms into the trash can across from the bed and put their boxers back on. Then Dean lay back on one elbow, his other arm stretched across his chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He cleared his throat. “So ah…” Dean laughed nervously, trying to tamp down his sudden anxiety, and forced himself to look Cas in the eye. “Does… this mean if I were to ask you out, you’d say yes?” It hit him all at once that this might be nothing more than a roll in the hay for Cas, and that there was a real possibility Cas’ answer would be negative.

Cas bit softly at his bottom lip as he looked at Dean and Dean’s heart nearly stopped. “I think so, yes.”

Dean was able to breathe again and he cocked up an eyebrow, feeling slightly more sure of himself than he had just a moment before. “You think so?”

Cas grinned and looked away for a moment. Then he looked back and answered, “I think I could be persuaded.”

Holy shit, Cas was adorable when he flirted. Dean grinned and leaned in to kiss him, but both men were startled as Cas’ phone unexpectedly rang. Cas frowned and quickly fished the phone from his pocket. “Oh God,’ he muttered, drawing one hand along his face. “It’s Anna. I was supposed to head over there after I got Gabe’s toy.”

It took longer than it should have for Dean to remember just why Cas had shown up tonight in the first place. Cas gave Dean an apologetic look and Dean shrugged it off with a small smile. He stood and then bent over to get his clothes. When Cas answered, Dean could hear Gabe’s voice carry through the phone.

“Hey Uncle Cas!”

* * *

 

“Uh, hello Gabe.” Cas frowned. “Does your mother know you’re using her phone?”

“Oh yeah, sure. Hey listen, I found my action figure. I guess I didn’t take it to show Sammy after all.”

Cas stared blankly at the bedroom wall and blinked a few times. “Ok…”

“Yeah, he was shoved inside mom’s shoe with a Nerf dart.”

Cas ran his hand through his hair. “Of course he was,” he muttered. His eyes lit on Dean’s back muscles and he smiled. Then Dean’s shirt slid down them, hiding them from view, and he frowned. Dean laughed softly as he turned and caught Cas’ pout.

“Hey, so, are you at Sam’s?”

Cas licked his lips and watched Dean sit next to him on the bed. “I am.”

“Can you tell him I said hi?”

Cas smiled at the tone in Gabe’s voice. “He’s not here tonight, but I will if I see him.” Cas looked at Dean with raised brows as he said, unsure of himself, “I think we both may be over here quite a bit soon.” Cas held his breath.

Dean grinned and nodded, then winked. Cas’ whole face went warm as it broke into a smile.

“Really?” Gabe asked excitedly. “That’s awesome Uncle Cas. I like Sammy a lot. And Dean, too.”

“Me too, Gabriel.” Cas couldn’t help the gummy grin that followed. “And it is awesome.”

Dean looked Cas over and leaned in to kiss his temple.

 

**THE END**

(snippet of sequel [which can be found [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2242185)] follows…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Dean smiled as he looked at the contact that popped up on his phone. “Heya Cas,” he said, putting the phone to his ear. Then he looked back up and frowned. “Hang on a sec, ok?” He put the speaker of the phone to his chest. “Sammy!” he shouted. “Turn that down, will ya? I’m on the phone.”

Sam’s mop-top head poked out from the side of Dean’s door frame that was closest to Sam’s room. “What’d ya say?”

“Music. Down. Now.” Dean said, while pointing towards the phone.

Sam disappeared again and the decibel level of the music dropped significantly. Dean snuggled down on his bed. “Heya, Cas,” he repeated with a smile.

“Hello, Dean. How are you?”

Dean rubbed at his forehead with his free hand. “Eh, I’m ok. Sammy’s making me a little crazy. He’s listening to Stairway to Heaven at full volume.”

Cas let out a small chuckle. “At least it’s a good song?”

“Yeah…Not so much when he’s played it 50 times in a row.” Dean grinned wide as he heard Sam singing along again from through the wall that adjoined their rooms. “And I love my brother, but he’s no Robert Plant.” He shook his head and closed his eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That's the end of this piece of the story. I hope you enjoyed it! If you've been subscribed to this one and want to read more of this 'verse, please subscribe to the sequel so you can keep getting updates. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE KUDOS AND COMMENTS AND LOVE! You guys are lovely and amazing!


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